


Anyone Else But You

by hapakitsune



Series: details in the fabric [1]
Category: Figure Skating RPF
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Gen, Soul Bond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-17
Updated: 2014-02-17
Packaged: 2018-01-12 19:01:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1195989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hapakitsune/pseuds/hapakitsune
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Being bonded to your skating partner isn't always the most optimal thing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Anyone Else But You

**Author's Note:**

> Written AGES ago for the h/c bingo prompt "forced soul-bonding." Reposted now for convenience!

Being soul-bonded to Meryl isn’t the worst thing in the world. She’s a wonderful girl, sweet and friendly and if Charlie had to be soul-bonded to anyone, he guesses she isn’t such a bad choice. Not that he’d had a choice.

He had honestly thought it was a joke when their coaches had first suggested it. Soul-bonding was something out of a pulp fantasy novel, something Meryl would read for fun on vacation. “A lot of pairs and ice dancing couples do it,” Igor explained. “It helps with the skating. You become more in tune with each other, move more smoothly.” 

Meryl shrugged, glancing up at Charlie. “I don’t mind as long as it isn’t cheating.” 

Charlie was willing, and so they were officially soul-bonded in a ceremony much like a wedding. It wasn’t a big deal, and they later learned that Tessa and Scott had done it too, though Scott confided to Charlie that it had kind of sucked when Tessa had been sleeping with David Pelletier. 

“I kept getting these flashes of what she was feeling when she forgot to shut me out,” he told Charlie. “I had no plausible deniability. It sucked hardcore, man.” 

But Meryl really is as sweet as she acts and Charlie doesn’t really have to worry about anything other than hearing a little too much about Jeremy’s sex life. And some of those times he knows she does it intentionally because she likes to talk to gossip and she would tell Charlie everything anyway.

That had been the thing to get used to, the loss of secrets. When they had first bonded, their thoughts had kept bleeding together even when they weren’t practicing. He would be watching a movie and he would suddenly hear Meryl in his head saying, _Why are you watching_ this _movie?_

They had learned over time to shut each other out when they weren’t practicing, and they had also learned how to completely mesh their thoughts. When they skate, they know, they just _know_ how to move. It’s incredible, and it wouldn’t have worked if they hadn’t been suited to each other – or so Igor and Marina told them. 

It had been fine – until Charlie had started dating Tanith. 

Tanith and Ben had been one of the first couples to test out the whole soul-bonding thing, and it was their silver medal at the Olympics that had convinced other coaches that it was worth looking into. Tanith is beautiful, wonderful, amazing – and Charlie wishes sometimes that he could have been bonded to Tanith instead of Meryl. 

The first time he thinks this, he feels so guilty that he buys Meryl a bouquet of flowers and brings them to their next practice. Meryl takes them with a smile and breathes in the smell before frowning up at Charlie in confusion. 

“What’s going on?” she asks him quietly. “What happened?” She gently probes at his mind, seeking entrance, and he reluctantly lets her in, knowing that he won’t be able to keep her out while they’re skating anyways. Her face falls and she says, “Oh, Charlie.” 

“Meryl, you know I love being your partner,” he says, putting his hands on her shoulders, and he opens his mind to her, letting her feel his joy at being her partner, the pleasure he feels when he skates with her. He can feel her slowly cheer up and he pulls her in for a hug. 

After that, he always carefully constructs his shields before going out with Tanith to keep Meryl out, because the last thing he wants is to upset her again. 

Occasionally, when they hang out with Ben, Charlie can’t quite stop the pang of jealousy that strikes his heart when he sees Tanith and Ben together. Though they had ended their bond after they had retired, the remnants of their time together still linger. They’re so very in tune with each other, the result of having spent so many years inside each other’s heads. 

“Do you miss it?” Charlie finds himself asking Tanith one day after they meet Ben for lunch. “Being bonded?” 

Tanith looks thoughtful, propping her chin on her hand. “I suppose in some ways I do. There’s something about having someone so close to you all the time – you understand. And I love Ben, you know? He was my best friend for ten years. But at the same time it makes it easier. To date, you know.” 

“What do you mean?” asks Charlie curiously. 

Tanith shakes her head, amused. “When I dated Evan, I don’t know if he ever got used to it, to knowing that I could talk to Ben at any moment. And Ben and I didn’t have any secrets from each other. At least you understand.” 

Charlie can’t imagine cutting himself off from Meryl, though he knows he probably will after retiring from professional skating. He’s so used to being able to tune into her thoughts, to knowing how she is at all times. When he goes home later, he curls up in bed and opens his mind to her. 

_Meryl?_ he asks, hoping she’s still awake. She is, though her thoughts are tinged with tiredness. 

_Hey, Charlie_ , she says. _How was your date with Tanith?_

Charlie shows her the memories, letting her float through them. He can tell when she reaches the part where he talked to Tanith about the bonds, because her thoughts grow pensive, a little sad. _I don’t know if I want to sever the bond_ , he confesses to her. _I would miss you_.

He feels Meryl smile. _I would miss you too, Charlie. I love you a lot, you know that, right?_

 _Of course I know_ , Charlie tells her and he sends her a mental hug, wrapping her in as much warmth and good feeling as he can. She sends one back, and he feels like he can smell her shampoo, hear her giggle in his ear. _Night, Meryl._

 _Night, Charlie_ , she replies, and instead of cutting off the connection, she just mutes it so that he can feel her inside his head, a warm comforting presence as he drifts off to sleep.


End file.
